The First and the True
by nevertrulyleave
Summary: When Amu finds her parents engaged her to Tadase, it's bad enough... but what happens when Ikuto's mother opens an old wound? Now Amu has to choose between the boy she cares for and her parents' blessing... and the boy she truly loves. Tadamu vs. Amuto
1. Chapter 1

"Amu, we need to talk to you."

A tall, slender teenage girl looked up lazily from her bed. Her eyes were bright with laughter as she held a phone to her ear. " I've got to go, Rima. See you later." She flipped the phone shut, rolled over to face her parents, and stretched leisurely, her longer choppy pink hair stretching along with her. " Mom? Dad? What's up?"

Her mom sat down beside her, looking uncomfortable, while her dad stood stony-eyed above her. "Amu, sweetie, you're starting to get to that age where we, as parents, start to worry about serious things."

Amu's eyes narrowed suspiciously. Her mom couldn't be starting a sex talk, otherwise her dad wouldn't be there. "Mom, I'm only sixteen."

"Even so." her mom said nervously. " You've been going out with Tadase-kun for awhile now, almost two years. He's a very nice boy, and it's clear to me he has incredibly strong feeling about you..."

Amu's eyes flared. Oh my God, it _was _a sex talk. Her parents thought that she and Tadase-kun... AAAAAARRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHH!!!! NIGHTMARE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

"So we decided to tell you that you're engaged."

Amu just sat and stared blankly at her mother. "Uh, what?" "It was all her idea!" her father burst out passionately. "I suggested we all move to Italy and you could join a convent, but no! That idea, according to your mother, is a bit extreme!" Amu's mom sighed. "We're not even Christian, dear."

"Engaged?!" Amu exclaimed. "Like, to be _married_? To who? When?" Her eyes squeezed shut in horror. _Oh my God, this is where they introduce me to some freakishly ugly old guy!_

Her mother sounded surprised. "Why, to Tadase-kun, of course. That's what I just said. It'll be next year, too. A lot of girls your age are getting married next year. We worked everything out with the Hotori family. They agree there wasn't a better match to be made. Tadase adores you."

Oh. It was to Tadase-kun.

But that was almost worse.

_I never wanted to marry him... I never wanted to marry anyone..._

Amu did love Tadase. But it was always with guilt when she touched him, when they held hands, when they kissed. She had always felt that their love was unequal, that Tadase loved her so much when her heart had rated him second-best. Second to none. Second choice.

_With Ikuto gone..._

She shook her head slightly. No that was unfair. She wouldn't think that and ruin this. This was a special moment, a life-changing moment. It didn't make sense to open an old wound now.

She cracked a half-hearted smile for her expectant parents. "Oh, uh, wow. That's so, well... unexpected. Could you...give me a moment?"

"Of course." her mom said immediately. "We'll give you some time, Amu." She took Amu's dad by the hand and dragged him out.

Amu buried her head into a pillow and screamed. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry." she wept. She didn't know what she was apologizing for, exactly, but she knew she was guilty of some crime.

"Amu-chan?"

Amu bolted up. Four small girls floated in front of her. "Ran? Miki? Su? Dia? I thought you were gone!" Dia smiled at her warmly. "I told you we're always with you, Amu-chan. We could sense that you needed us and we came." Su waved at her. "We'll help you get through this, Amu-chan! Everything will be fine, okay?"

Amu's eye's watered. "Guys..."

"No matter what, Amu-chan!"


	2. Chapter 2

Thanks for the reviews last chapter!

**Disclaimer: I do not own Shugo Chara! book or TV series or any corresponding characters/plot. All rights go to Peach-Pit.**

_Six months later..._

Tadase smiled at Amu kindly. "I'm very happy, Amu-chan. I love you." He kissed her delicately on the cheek. Amu cast her eyes down uneasily. "Me too, Tadase-kun. Thanks... for standing by me for all this time."

Dia peeped out of Amu's purse pocket. "You're not sparkling, Amu-chan." she whispered. "Shut up." Amu hissed, shoving her back in.

Tadase's mother clapped loudly and everyone jumped. "All right, wedding preparations are officially underway! Amu, darling, you look positively stunning today... do you know what your dress size is?" Amu fidgeted. "Uh, what?" "Oh, wait, never mind. I got it from your mother already, don't worry." Amu sighed in relief. The she stiffened as Tadase's mother shrieked.

"I thought I ordered violets on this table, you blundering fools! Where's Soko? Soko? SOKO!"

"I'm right here, Hotori-san. Calm yourself." said a beautiful blond woman, stepping out from behind a tent. She was tall and willowy like a thin tree. She turned gracefully to look at Tadase and Amu. Amu's mouth fell open in shock.

_His_ eyes- Ikuto's eyes- were copied perfectly into her soft face.

_No_. Amu told herself harshly. _It doesn't matter. I'm getting married in six months anyway. Ikuto doesn't matter anymore. _Her panging heart begged to differ, but she ignored it.

But a look of recognition crossed Soko's face as well. Her small mouth curled into a frown. Her forehead creased, and Amu felt her knees wobble. Tadase took her elbow. Soko turned to Tadase's mother. "May I have a quick word with the bride?"

"Yes, yes, of course." she said distractedly. "I don't need Amu-chan for another-" she checked her clipboard,"-forty minutes. Stay beautiful!" She blew them a kiss, the went back to screaming about violets. Soko took Amu's other elbow. "One moment, if you please, Tadase-san?" she asked politely. "Of course, Tsukiyomi-san." Tadase said graciously, letting go of Amu. Amu looked guiltily at him as she lowered her arm.

Soko dragged Amu through an array of tents until they came to an empty one. "Hello, Amu. This will only take a moment."

Amu was finding it difficult to look Soko in the eyes. Soko had the same intense look as Ikuto had, and it was more than a little unnerving. Soko laughed. "You're thinking that I look similar to my son, aren't you." Amu looked up, blushing automatically. "What?" Soko smiled at her. "I don't really, you know. Ikuto-kun is the same as his father. My daughter, Utau-chan, now she looked like me. It was odd, though, how she got her father's eyes, and Ikuto got mine. I do love my children." she said, a faraway look in her eyes. "But really, Amu. What I really wanted to say." Amu crossed her legs uncomfortably. "Yes, Tsukiyomi-san?"

"Amu, my dear girl, I can tell you're still in love with my son."

Amu's jaw dropped. She looked away shamefully.

"You're doing an excellent job at hiding it, I admit. But from the moment our eyes met I could tell Tadase-san was not your first choice, was he?"

"I didn't mean- I mean, I'm sorry." Amu whispered. Ran, Miki, Su, and Dia all popped out. "Amu-chan, we can tell who your heart really belongs to."

Soko smiled softly at them. "Ah, your chara. I remember my son's quite well. Rascally little thing. But, Amu, I've been meaning to tell you something even more important." Amu's eyes widened. _What bigger bombshell can this woman drop, for crying out loud?_

"My darling girl, Ikuto-kun has been invited to your wedding. He'll be standing right where we are right now when you pledge yourself to Tadase-san forever. I'm very sorry."

Amu fell to her knees. "That- that can't-" _That CANNOT happen. _


	3. Chapter 3

Yay! 7 reviews by today! THANK YOU ALL!

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything associated with the Shugo Chara! franchise. All rights go to Peach-Pit.**

_That night.._

Ran floated cautiously up to Amu, who had been buried in a makeshift barricade of pillows and blankets for the last hour. "Amu-chan...I wish there was some way we could help you."

"You know what?" yelled Amu's muffled voice. "I wish you didn't_ need _to help me! I mean-" she threw the covers off herself, "I _love_ Tadase-kun! Ikuto's been gone for four fricking years! I _should _be over it by now! Ikuto's probably seeing someone...and it's obvious to everyone that Tadase really loves me... I mean, ARGH!" She buried herself again. The charas looked at each other, the unanimously began twiddling their thumbs.

Suddenly, Amu's phone vibrated in her pocket. She turned her head to check the I.D. It read _Unknown Caller. _She flipped it open. "Hello?"

"Amu? Is that you?"

Amu threw off her bundle again. "IKUTO? What- when- what-" The charas all squealed in delight, but Amu immediately shot them all the death stare and they fell silent, Su trying to hold in her excited giggles.

"Why haven't you called me?" Ikuto demanded. "I don't hear from you for _years_ and then I get an _invitation_ to your _wedding_? Are you _insane?" _

Amu's shock levels lowered considerably. She took a deep breath. "I don't know where you are." she responded coolly. "Or even your phone number. The real question here is why haven't _you_ called _me_?" "Never mind." Ikuto said hastily. "You're getting married to Tadase? How did this happen?"

"It was an arranged marriage." Amu said, lying back on her mattress. "I didn't know until about six months ago. I didn't really have any choice in the matter. I don't even get to pick out my dress. Tadase's mom is running the whole show. I'm just going along with them. So, where are you now?" "On a plane back to Japan." Ikuto said shortly. "I'll see you at the wedding."

Amu swore under her breath. She had hoped- prayed, really- that he wouldn't accept the invitation.

"I see." Ikuto drawled. "So you're really marrying Tadase." Amu felt color drawing to her cheeks. "I- I guess so. It's all really sudden right now." "I'm curious, though." Ikuto went on. "Do you really want tp?"

"I-" Amu stuttered. She_ loved _Tadase. She did. But she didn't- couldn't- not- wouldn't say- not with Ikuto's voice so close- so close- "Ikuto, you stupid baka." she whispered hoarsely, her voice trembling, then flipped the phone shut. She buried her face in her pillow and started sobbing hard, her charas stroking her hair and murmuring comforting things in her ear.

A thousand miles away, Ikuto examined the tiny picture of a young girl with pink hair flashing a peace sign at the camera and laughing. "That's what I thought." he muttered, slipping the phone into his pocket.


	4. Chapter 4

I haven't got any bad reviews yet! Thank you so much! And I'm very sorry all the chapters are so short. They look much larger on paper.

**Disclaimer: I don't own Shugo Chara. Please believe me. I'm tired of typing this. Oh! I also do not own any lyrics used below. All rights got to Taylor Swift and Hollywood Studios.**

Rima sat behind Amu on her bed, lazily braiding her hair. Her eyes were bright with interest and excitement. "So, Amu, what you're saying is that, essentially, even though you and Tada-gay are getting married in a few months-" "Don't call him that." Amu groaned, her face once again buried in a pillow. Rima stuck her tongue out at her. "Even though you and _that guy _are getting married in a few months, you think your feelings for Ikuto haven't gone awa-?" "Yes, right." Amu said impatiently. "Stop interrupting me!"

Amu sighed and sprawled back. "You wrecked the braid. Rima said angrily. "You know I don't care. But anyway, it's not like I don't love Tadase-kun. I do love him. He's been a great friend to me for years. But... my heart won't let go of what I felt towards Ikuto. It's... it _was_ so different from what I feel with Tadase."

Rima eyes sparkled. "This is so One Tree Hill. I mean, my love life doesn't look nearly as dysfunctional when someone looks at you. I mean, so what if I have to kiss a guy in a skirt? You are torn between two men! It's much more radical!" Amu sighed. "It's nice to see how much weight you're putting on the situation, Ri-Ri." But she laughed. "Thanks, anyway, though. I just don't know what to do. I don't want to marry Tadase, but I also don't want to let him and our families down." Rima cranked up the radio. "We need to thin-"

**(A/N: I know this is an English song, but I don't know any Japanese songs and this song was PERFECT for this moment. Please don't shoot me.)**

_He is sensible and so incredible_  
_And all my single friends are jealous_  
_He says everything I need to hear and it's like_  
_I couldn't ask for anything better_

_He opens up my door and I get into his car_  
_And he says, you look beautiful tonight_  
_And I feel perfectly fine_

_But I've been screamin' and fightin'_  
_And kissin' in the rain_  
_And it's two a.m. and I'm cursin' your name_  
_You're so in love that you act insane_  
_And that's the way I loved you_

_Breakin' down and comin' undone_  
_It's a roller-coaster kinda rush_  
_And I never knew I could feel that much_  
_And that's the way I loved you_

Amu froze in the fetal position, her face looking like a mixture of comprehension and utter shock. Rima swore under her breath. "That was such bad timing on their part."

_He respects my space and never makes me wait_  
_And he calls exactly when he says he will_  
_He's close to my mother_  
_Talks business with my father_  
_He's charming and endearing, and I'm comfortable_

_But I've been screamin' and fightin'_  
_And kissin' in the rain_  
_And it's two a.m. and I'm cursin' your name_  
_You're so in love that you act insane_  
_And that's the way I loved you_

_Breakin' down and comin' undone_  
_It's a roller-coaster kinda rush_  
_And I never knew I could feel that much_  
_And that's the way I loved you_

_He can't see the smile I'm fakin'_  
_And my heart's not breakin'_  
_'Cause I'm not feelin' anything at all_

_And you were wild and crazy_  
_Just so frustrating, intoxicating, complicated_  
_Got away by some mistake and now_

_I'll be screamin' and fightin'_  
_And kissin' in the rain_  
_It's two a.m. and I'm cursin' your name_  
_I'm so in love that I acted insane_  
_And that's the way I loved you_

_Breakin' down and comin' undone_  
_It's a roller-coaster kinda rush_  
_And I never knew I could feel that much_  
_And that's the way I loved you_

_And that's the way I loved you_  
_I never knew I could feel that much_  
_And that's the way I loved you_

Amu's head was in her hands and she was shaking. Rima whacked her forehead. "Stupid." She leaned over. "Sorry, Amu."

"Not your fault." Amu whispered thickly. "But that's how I feel, Rima. That's how I feel about Ikuto... and Tadase. I should have never gone out with Tadase. Now I'm only going to hurt them both more. Oh, Rima, what am I going to do?"

So! That chapter was successfully longer!

Ikuto: I wasn't in it.

Tadase: Me neither.

Well, sorry! I guess you guys should be taken out of it then, if you're going to be this impatient!

Rima: I was in it.

Amu: I was too.

You're in all the chapters, Amu.

Amu: YES!

And for the love of God, just finish us up.

Tadase: Please R & R!

Not you! I hate you!

Tadase: What?

Ikuto: R & R. For Bella's sake.

THANK YOU.


	5. Chapter 5

This story is getting progressively more popular... and no one seems to dislike it so far! Thank you!

**Disclaimer: I don't feel like typing all this out. You guys know I own nothing by this point, right?**

"Rima, you look amazing!" KusuKusu squealed in delight, prancing around like a pony. All of Amu's chara squealed back in unison, and Amu nodded sincerely, craning her neck to see behind her, as a random woman was measuring her waist. "Thanks for being a bridesmaid, Rima. You really do look great." "I feel like a cream puff." Rima muttered darkly.

"Yes, yes, Mashiro-san looks great." Tadase's mom said distractedly, making her fiftieth tick on her clipboard. Tadase smiled at Amu apologetically. "Sorry about this." he murmured, his breath uncomfortably warm on her cheek. She tried to inch subtly away, but the woman with the tape measure had a chokehold on her. "She likes to be this way. It makes her feel like she has a purpose." Amu sighed in relief. "I'm glad. I thought she was just stressed to the max." Tadase laughed. "That too."

Tadase's mother ran her fingers through her hair, again, for the fiftieth time. "All of the bridesmaids are done now, and all we have left is the maid of honor. I _told _Hoshina-san she can see her brother after she tries on her dress, but apparently, she just couldn't wait, could she?"

As if on cue, Amu's phone buzzed in her pocket as the lady with the tape measure left. She relaxed, then opened the text alert.

_Dropped Ikuto at his hotel. Be there in a sec. Taking the limo, so don't freak. P.S. He says hi._ There was a picture attached of a giggling Utau clinging to Ikuto's arm while Ikuto stared, looking bored, into the camera.

And just like magic, Amu tensed up all over again.

Su peeped over Amu's shoulder. "Ikuto-kun's back!"

Immediately, five chara and Rima all seemed very interested in Amu's phone. Ran squealed fir the second time. "Wow, he looks the same, Amu-chan!" "I know." Amu said through gritted teeth. "Guys, Tadase's still standing, like, right there." Rima groaned. "He takes all the fun out of it."

Amu swatted everyone away and waved her phone at Tadase's mother. "Utau will be here soon. Hotori-san."

"Good, good." Tadase's mother said absentmindedly, tapping into her phone at carpal-tunnel-syndrome speed. Amu fidgeted. "You know, Hotori-san, I'd be happy to try on my dress..." "No!" she snapped without looking looked taken aback."Um, why not?"

Tadase's mother sighed at Amu's naivette. "My son isn't allowed to see you in your wedding dress till the wedding. It's a firm tradition in our family. But we'll try it on soon, darling. Trust me, you'll look exquisite." She then put down her phone and pointed menacingly at Tadase, who jumped and looked very alarmed. "That reminds me. Try on your suit! Here! Go do it!"

-Five minutes of anticipation later-

Tadase came out of the changing tent and smiled tentatively. "How do I look?"

Amu's eyes filled with little thumping hearts. Tadase was dressed in a pure white suit with gold cuff links and a tie that matched his hair. He looked- "Gay." Rima muttered under her breath. "Wrong!" He looked _a-dor-able. _"Tadase-kun, you look fantastic!" He blushed modestly.

"Oh my dear!" Tadase's mother gushed. "You look just like a fairy-tale prince!"

Amu and Rima both froze. Kiseki wasn't around... and it had been a while since anyone had called hime prince. Maybe-

"I AM NOT A LOW-LIFE PRINCE! I AM A KING! A KING I TELL YOU! !"

Dang.

How was that even possible?

"It's the stress." Amu said hurridly. "It happens sometimes." To shut him up, she threw her arms around his neck and kissed him. The maniac gleam disappeared from his eyes, and he pulled Amu closer to him. Rima sighed in relief.

"Sorry I'm late. What did I miss?"

Amu turned, swiping her knuckles across her mouth. Soko and Utau stood behind her, Utau's maid-of-honor dress held in one hand. "Nothing really" Amu said deceptively mildly. "Just some tryings-on." She stepped down and murmured to Utau, "Tadase-kun went king. It would have been ugly."

Utau nodded knowledgeably. Soko looked sadly at Amu, who was still flushed from the kiss. "Ikuto says hello."

Amu didn't respond, but she clutched her Humpty Lock, which sparkled in the warm May sun. Dia floated up to her. "Amu, it's time to go home." Amu nodded and waved to Rima and shouted goodbye to Soko and Tadase, who were going over appetizer lists. Before she was about to head to the parking lot, Utau grabbed her arm and presse something into her palm. "Use it when you get home." she whispered.

When Amu got to her car, she opened her hand to see what Utau had given her. Her mouth fell open.

_The Dumpty Key?_

_

* * *

_WHOOOO! Cliffie! I successfully ended with suspense and mystery!

Rima: *sniffle* You're so mean.

You're just mad I made you a cream puff.

Rima: DIEEEEEEE!

Utau: I was the mystery! Awesome!

You're welcome.

Tadase: Why does Rima keep calling me gay?

Rima and everyone else: Cause you are.

Ikuto: I was only mentioned in passing!

You're still important, nekomimi! And besides, you're in the next chapter.

Amu: WHAT?

See you next time! Please R & R.


	6. Chapter 6

This chapter's a looong one. But it's probably the most important to the story. Please stick with it.

**Disclaimer: FOR THE LOVE OF GOD! I DON'T OWN SHUGO CHARA!**

"So, Ikuto, how does it feel to be back in Japan?" Yoru asked, curling up on the fluffy hotel pillow. Ikuto sighed, pausing from rummaging through his stuff. "It just feels too...the same. You know? Like, nothing's changed, nothing's all that new. Even _you're_ back, Yoru. It's been a while. And I haven't seen Amu yet, so I'm still picturing her as a twelve-year-old."

Yoru nodded. "I know what you mean, nya. It's really like nothing's changed. I was surprised when you accepted the invitation to Amu's wedding, though. I figured for sure you'd ditch." Ikuto turned away. "I couldn't say no." He opened his violin case to make sure it was still there. His eyes widened, and he started hurriedly going through the rest of his things. "Yoru, the Dumpty Key's gone!"

* * *

Amu contemplated the Dumpty Key pensively. "I wonder why Utau gave this to me. It was just so random...did Ikuto give it to her for a reason?"

Miki popped out of her egg. "I think she gave it to you so you could use it with the Humpty Lock again!" Su nodded excitedly. "Yes, maybe something new will happen this time!"

Amu thought for a moment, then shrugged. "I guess it's woth a shot. Ran, can you hold the chains for me?" She handed Ran the chains delicately and held the Humpty Lock in the center of her palm. She lifted the Key up to it and tried to fit it in. It clinked together messily and for a moment she thought it wouldn't fit, but in one moment it slid in, she turned the Key, there was a flash of light, the chains hit the ground and clattered, and she wasn't in her room anymore.

She floated in a large bubble like last time, through an array of flashing lights and pulsing colors, spellbinding but slightly frightening. She closed her eyes.

_Open your eyes now, Amu-chan. It'a all right._

Amu's eyes fluttered open. She looked down and saw herself dressed as Amulet Fortune. "Oh-"

_Look down, Amu-chan._

Amu did as instructed and gasped. Her younger self and a younger Tadase sat on a bench below. A memory of this moment stirred in her mind, but something different was happening as she watched.

"I love you, Amu-chan."Tadase said firmly. "But when you were with Ikuto nii-san..."**(A/N I know this isn't an exact quote of the moment but I think you know which chapter I'm talking about)**

All of a sudden, Amu saw and image appear above Tadase's head, of her as Amulet Fortune in Ikuto's arms and him smiling. After a brief moment, the image vanished and Tadase continued, "I love you, Amu-chan, and I'll continue to fight for you. No matter what." Her younger self looked very confused, but blushed all the same. Images of Kairi's confession and more images of Amu with Ikuto floated in a filmy spiral above Tadase's head.

Amu's hand flew to her mouth. "I can see what Tadase-kun is thinking!"

_Oh, _said Su's voice, _so that's what Tadase-kun meant then. I didn't understand what he meant before. That's so sweet! _"That's not it, Su." Amu whispered, her cheeks pink. "This is bad."

The moments below changed, but all of them were of Amu and Tadase together, from age twelve to present day. It showed them on dates, hloding hands, laughing, and kissing. At first, Tdase's thoughts strayed to more images of Ikuto or Ikuto with Amu, and was tinged with a bluish aura of guilt. As the years passed, though, they became less of Ikuto and just of Amu, with a lighter hue of pink. Still, it seemed a little blue.

With guilt.

Above the memories speeding by, Amu whimpered in her own guilt and sorrow. "Oh, Tadase-kun." she whispered, her fingertips pressed against the bubble's coating. "I didn't know. I'm so sorry-"

_Heads up, Amu-chan! _Ran's voice bleated in alarm. _This is going to change really fast. Close your eyes now! _Amu obliged quickly.

When she opened her eyes, she saw herself again, only this wasn't a memory. She was sixteen or seventeen, wearing a poofy, gaudy wedding dress. It looked very unrealistic and slightly filmy, so she guessed the image was just supplying a generic wedding dress until she saw her real one.

This future Amu stood beside Tadase and a preacher man reciting vows. The future Tadase nodded as the man spoke, but future Amu simply looked ahead expressionlessly, clutching her bouquet as if it tethered her to life.

"I do." Tadase said, slipping his hand into Amu's. She smiled weakly at him as current Amu looked on in utter shock. "I do." future Amu replied softly, her knuckles white on the bouquet.

Tadase leaned over and kissed her passionately. Amu's future self kissed him back, but her eyes slid to a sudden movement in the back.

Ikuto's back was turned to the now-married couple. He was leaving.

Future Amu's closed as she continued to kiss Tadase. A tear slipped down her cheek, leaving a run in her blush. But since the wild applause of those assembled there didn't stutter, apparently no one had noticed. Amu stood up in her bubble and screamed in disagreement.

But then the scene changed again. An older Amu was in a kitchen making pancakes. She looked maybe mid-to-late twenties. Ikuto walked in to the room, rubbing his eyes.

Present Amu's mouth fell open. _Whaa?_

Then an older Tdase stepped in, slipped an arm around the future Amu's waist, and pecked her on the cheek. And then, to present Amu's total surprise and almost horror, a small blond girl came toddling in and climbed up the small seat at the table. Tadase ruffled her downy curls and she giggled joyfully. She was a female Tadase in appearance. She opened her big eyes. Amu's own eyes widened to the size of Frisbees.

Her own eyes- large balls of cold honey- were copied perfectly into the girl's delicate face. This little girl was her child. And Tadase had fathered her.

What was Ikuto doing here? Why hadn't he left?

"Can't Otooji-san **(Uncle) **stay for a little longer?" the little girl squealed in high voice, toying with Tadase's blond hair. Ikuto shook his head, pulling on a jacket. "No, sorry. I really should go. I was only helping move things in. See you." He walked out.

He and Amu had not looked at each other once. But future Amu, present Amu noticed, wilted a little as the front door slammed shut. The girl started laughing again.

There was such a pain in Amu's chest she felt like someone had shoved a glass shard into her heart. She closed her eyes stubbornly. "I don't want to see any more!" she shouted defiantly, to whoever was listening.

"Hey!"

Amu's eyes flew open is surprise. A thirteen-year-old girl, tall and slender with waist-length blue-black hair stood in front of her, her hands on her hips. Amu looked around. A purply cloud enveloped the two of them, and she was free of her bubble. The girl looked impatiently at Amu. Amu gasped for what might have been the sixtieth time that day.

This girl had her eyes too.

_My girl with Ikuto?_

"No!" another girl's voice shouted. "Stay away from her!" The blond girl, now also thirteen, barreled towards the two of them. The blue-black-haired girl looked vaguely annoyed, like this was an expected irritation, but nothing to worry about.

"Go away!" the blond girl said shrilly. "Don't talk to her!" The black-hairec girl turned to face her. "Don't kid yourself. You go away. She's going to pick _me_." The blond girl's eyes watered. "No! You're a mean... a mean... you're mean! I love her more than you do." The black-haired girl's lips trembled, but she bit her lips stubbornly. "No way! I love her _waayyyy _more. And she loves me. I'm going to be picked."

_This could be seen as the stupidest fight ever if the circumstances weren't so dire, _Miki mused in Amu's head.

"Don't fight." Amu said weakly. "I love you both. Really."

Both girls turned to her and spoke to her in unison, the black-haired girl looking intense, the blond girl looking teary. "You can't have us both." the girls whispered together hauntingly. "You can only pick one. You can't have us both. You know what this means, don't you? _Mom."_


	7. Chapter 7

I hit my 20-review mark! Awesome! Thank you all, you awesome people with great taste who review regularly!

I've had a few people ask me if Amu's two daughters are going to show up again...great question! Wait and see!

This chapter's really short, but still essential. I'd like to think all my chapters are important to the story.

**Disclaimer: Why must I repeat myself over and over? Don't you know by now?**

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* * *

**_Flashback-_

Both girls turned to her and spoke to her in unison, the black-haired girl looking intense, the blond girl looking teary. "You can't have us both." the girls whispered together hauntingly. "You can only pick one. You can't have us both. You know what this means, don't you? Mom."

_End Flashback _

"I don't- I can't-"

_Guys, we need to get out of here right now!_

Amu fell with a large squish back onto her bed. Her charas all popped out of her at once and looked at her apologetically. "We're so, so sorry, Amu-chan. We didn't know that would happen."

Amu stared ahead, her eyes moist and looking very shaky. "I do love Ikuto." she said slowly, but steadily. "I think I do. I'm pretty sure. But I also love my family, and Tadase's family, and my friends. I still count Tadase to my friend, so I love him too. And that little blond girl- my girl with Tadase- she didn't _want _to fight Ikuto's child for me. She wasn't ready to fight. She didn't know she had to." A tear slipped down her cheek. "Neither did I."

"Ikuto's girl, she was _ready _to fight. She knew it was coming."

She hugged her knees to her chest. "And Tadase feeling _guilty _about Ikuto this entire time... I thought he had forgotten. I thought I was the only one."

Dia cautiously floated up to Amu. "Amu-chan, your sparkle is weakening. You're getting confused and lost. But don't give up, okay? Somehow everything will work out." Amu looked up, looking as if she was trying very hard to refrain from swearing bitterly at the innocent little faces of her charas. "Honestly? You think so?" Su nodded sincerely. "That's why we came back to you, Amu-chan! So we can help you."

Before Amu could respond, her phone started it's now-annoyingly-cheerful ringtone. She grit her teeth, breathed in deeply, regained some composure, and answered coolly. "Hello?"

"Amu, it's me. Do you know where the Dumpty Key is?"

Amu's composure completed deflated. "Ikuto? Uh, yes. I've got it right here with me. Utau gave it to me after wedding prep."

There was a pause. Amu waited. "Didn't you give it to Utau?"

"No, I didn't. She gave it to you?" "Uh, yeah, she did. I thought you'd given it to her. I'm sorry. Do you want it back?" She didn't want the Key in the same room as her Lock now.

"It doesn't matter. Did you do anything with it?" Amu twisted a lock of hair between her fingers. "Uhhhh..."

She thought she heard Ikuto sigh in exasperation on the line. "Amu. Did you use it with the Humpty Lock? Never mind, I know you did. What happened?"

Amu bit her lip. Ran floated up. "You shouldn't lie to him, Amu-chan. Tell him the truth."

Amu's hands tightened around the phone. She lost her nerve. "Bye, Ikuto!" she said brightly, then hung up quickly enough she couldn't hear him respond. She then threw the phone at her window and started banging her head repeatedly against the wall. All her charas sighed.

* * *

Amu lay sleeping, turning restlessly while she dreamt, one hand coiled into a fist. Miki and Dia were quietly floating in a corner, using chara communication to talk with Yoru.

_Yoru? It's us. Listen, Amu-chan-_

_Your Amu-chan is breaking Ikuto's heart! You have some nerve, talking to me!_

_But we-_

_Let me handle this, Dia. Listen, Yoru. We can make this work for both of us. For Amu-chan and Ikuto. But we'll need to work together, all right? Get them together._

_How do you suggest we do that, nya?_

Miki smiled grimly. _Just get Ikuto to the wedding, okay? We'll handle the rest._

_

* * *

_Bella: This wasn't my favorite chapter... more coming soon.

Amu: What the hell are you doing to me? I have children, and emotional turmoil, and, and... *rambles on about what I'm putting her through*

Bella: *sighs* It'll work out in the end, Amu-chan. Maybe.

Amu: Maybe? MAYBE? YOU RAGING PYSCHOPATH OF A WRITER!

Tadase: I'm not having such a great feeling about this either...

Ikuto: And who knows what she's going to do with me...

Bella: *sighs in content* Ah, to be loved and hated. You know the drill. R & R! Tell your friends!


	8. Chapter 8

I hope you guys are getting pepped up... this story keeps building up! I love posting cause very time you send in fantabulous reviews! (Did you know fantabulous is actually defined in the dictionary? Look it up!)

**Disclaimer: Seriously. Guess who owns it. Me or Peach-Pit. Fifty-fifty odds.**

Yaya squealed in delight. "Amu-chi, you look _amazing_!" Amu blushed, tucking a loose strand of hair into her veil. "Really? You think so?"

Utau cocked her head, narrowed her eyes, then shook her head. Amu's face fell. "Utau?" Utau pulled a thin gold chain and a small heart pendant out of her pocket and tossed it to Amu, who caught it in bewilderment. "Put that on, and then you'll look perfect."

Tadase's mother looked around nervously. "There aren't any... _boys _around, are there?" Rima shook her head. "Kairi, Kukai, Nagihiko, and Tada-g-" she stopped, catching herself, and continued, glancing at Tadase's mother, ", and Tadase are all rehearsing in another tent. Why are you so paranoid?"

Tadase's mother's eye twitched, and Amu hurridly cut in, "What she means, Hotori-san, is that you seem very uptight. Is something bothering you?" Tadase's mother nodded stiffly. "In the Hotori family, it is a sad tradition that any man, besides the groom or bride's father, who first sees the bride in her wedding dress will fall in love with her. Therefore, it is absolutely _essential_ that the groom sees her first, and, of course, only on the wedding day. Make sense?"

"Your family and traditions." Rima muttered. "Why not just keep her in a steel box until the wedding?" Amu whitened, then clapped a hand over Rima's mouth. "Shh! Shh, she might actually try! I'm claustrophobic!"

Amu's wedding dress was pale gold, with a solidly colored upper portion and a sparkly, stylishly shorter chiffon skirt. Her hair was kept down, but pinned behind a translucent, white-gold veil, held in place with a bronze comb, adorned with coppery-colored flowers. **(A/N Details.. I live for details...) **She loved it. She loathed it.

It was too beautiful for her to be wearing. She didn't want to be seen as so lovely, so adored when inside, she felt filth building up under her skin. It burned to know that she would look as pretty as she did when marrying Tadase while Ikuto stood in the back. It seemed to mock him as much as it did her. _I disgust myself, _she thought.

'Hellllooooo, earth to Amu-chi!"

Amu's head snapped up. "Yaya? What? Sorry..." Yaya pouted childishly. "Yaya was just asking if you could tie the ribbony thingy to her dress!" Amu blinked, and coming out of her reverie, nodded absentmindedly. "Sure, Yaya. Just a second."

As Amu tied Yaya's ribbony thing, Midori (Amu's mom) and Soko came rushing in. Midori looked panicked, while Soko kept her serene, calming expression, so it was difficult to judge the problematic factor in the issue. Tadase's mother turned. "Hinamori-san? Soko? What's wrong?" Midori wheezed, bending over. "Hotori-san! The people who are managing the wedding called and the only time the could manage is..." She looked up and lost some of her courage (like mother like daughter), "..."

Amu, Utau, Rima, and Yaya all sweatdropped and inched silently out the tent's back flap. Amu had just pulled Yaya out when the tent erupted. "WHAT? NEXT MONTH IS THE BEST THOSE INCOMPETENT FOOLS CAN DO?"

The others sighed in relief at the fact that they had been spared the fury of Hotori-san's wrath, while Amu went albino pale. "Next month?" she whispered. "I-I don't think I-"

The wedding had seemed so far away before. Like she had plenty of time to fix what could be fixed. But now it just seemed like impending doom. Su floated up tentatively and straightened Amu's hair comb. "Amu-chan, you look very stressed. Take a deep breath." "Okay." Amu snapped. "I'll take a deep breath, sure. Close my eyes and go to a happy place, maybe. But guess what? When I _open_ my eyes, I'll still be marrying Tadase, fricking _next month,_ and Iku-" Shu shut up when she saw Yaya and Rima govong her weird looks and Utau caught between laughter and death staring.

A while later, Amu was about to leave when she saw Utau heading towards her limo. She grabbed her arm. "Utau, why did you steal the Dumpty Key from Ikuto? And why the hell did you give it to me?" Utau just shrugged. "Not my fault. Eru told me to."

Eru popped out. "Did you unlock your Humpty Lock, Amu-chan?" Amu automatically touched her Lock. "So what if I did? Eru, did you know what would happen?" "Of course I did!" Eru exclaimed bluntly. " I had to warn you, Amu-chan!"

"Warn me?" The faces of the two girls flashed in her mind. She blinked hastily as if to swat away a fly, instead of a memory. Eru sighed melodramatically. "I'm the Angel of Love, Amu-chan! I _know_ things... the sparks between you and Tadase are not as strong as the ones between you and Ikuto." They glanced at Utau, who twitched silghtly (still having a brother complex) but said nothing. "So what are you going to do?" Eru whispered. Amu stared at the ground. "I really don't know."

* * *

Amu: *stares at Bella is stony silence*... I'm not talking to you.

Bella: *deep in thought* You know what I should probably do?"

Amu: *curious despite herself* What?

Bella: Watch YouTube Amuto videos by MyVampireEyes, because they're just so awesome and whenever I stop watching, I start feeling very violent towards Tadam fans and Tadase himself... *starts savagely muttering to herself*

Tadase: OH MY GOD!

Ikuto: You know what? Keep doing that. Works for me.

Bella: Figures.

Utau: Please R & R!


	9. Chapter 9

This is a sad, sad chapter. I even made myself cry. Or maybe those were just tears of exhaustion. When I first wrote this on paper, it was like two in the morning.

**Disclaimer: Seriously?**

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* * *

**Yoru stirred at the sound of heavy dragging and clinking. He sat up, yawning catishly. "Ikuto?"

Ikuto was repacking, stuffing clothes into a very small suitcase (doesn't carry much with him.) His back was to Yoru. Yoru jumped up. "Ikuto! What are you doing, nya?" "I'm going back to Europe." Ikuto said, his voice without infliction, placing the violin in it's case with more force than necessary. "I changed my mind. I don't really want to go to Amu's wedding."

Your stiffened. _Make sure Ikuto gets to the wedding, okay? We'll take it from there._

He shot over and pulled at Ikuto's arm. "No, Ikuto, nya! You need to go! You have all your things and everything! There'll be food and...stuff!"

Ikuto didn't pause. "There's food in Europe."

Yoru sighed. He didn't like to do this, but his owner gave him no choice. Time to pull out the big guns. He tugged harder on Ikuto's sleeve. "Amu's depending on you, Ikuto! She'd be really, really sad if you didn't come!" Ikuto froze.

"Please?" Yoru said pleadingly. Ikuto sighed in defeat. "I guess you're right, you little nerkomimi. I'll stay."

* * *

Finally, _finally, _Miki pinned the comb into Amu's hair and straightened the veil. Amu looked up beseechingly. "It was fine the first five times, Miki." "But it wasn't _perfect."_ Miki protested. "Now it is."

Su straightened the layer's of Amu's dress, Ran fluffed Amu's bouquet, and Dia smudged a golden sparkling powder into the corner of Amu's eyes without accidentally hitting her in the eye. Amu looked up at the vanity mirror. Her heart sank. She had never before looked so beautiful.

She had never before felt so awful.

"How could you do this to me?"

Amu gazed, mouth hanging open, at the reflection. The blue-black haired girl was in the mirror, looking like she was torn between beating the crap out of Amu or sobbing. Amu spun around, looking for her, but she wasn't really there. The reflection, however, remained.

"I thought- I thought for sure you's pick me!" the girl wailed in disbelief. "I wanted you so much more than she did! I loved you more!" "I'm sorry!" Amu gasped, reaching out to touch the girl's reflection. "It's not a choice I wanted to make!" "It doesn't matter anymore, though, does it, Mom?" the girl continued to shout. "In five hours, I won't exist anymore and it'll only be Tadase and his girl left!"

Amu felt tears coursing down her cheeks and made no move to swipe them away. "I do want you." she whispered. "I do want you, and I do love Ikuto. But I just want everyone to be happy. That includes Tadase-kun, his family, and my family too."

"Mom!" the girl said angrily. "You're just being stupid. What does everyone else matter, as long as you and Dad are happy?"

Amu gasped. She understood now what Ikuto's girl was getting at. The girl wasn't really there to save herself or preserve Amu's love for Ikuto. She was just voicing Amu's own selfish desires, Amu's own need to be happy.

_Is that all Ikuto is to me?_

_No..._

_I love him..._

_I love him._

Amu gripped the vanity desk to steady herself. "Is that what you think of me?" ahe said to the girl, but almost to herself. "Is that really what you think I should do?"

"If it means saving me, then yes!" the girl shrieked. "Well, I can't!" Amu shrieked back. "The wedding today is bigger than just me! It's not my or your choice to make!"

The girl's eyes filled with tears of pure hatred. "I hate you!" she screamed. "I wish Dad had never met you!"

_Maybe that would have been better..._

Amu picked up a hairbrush, and without thinking, swung it at the girl's reflection. There was a horrible cracking sound, the glass turned white and icy, and then shattered, falling into the desk and floor. The girl disappeared. Amu covered her mouth and began to sob. She looked around.

Utau came in, her maid of honor dress immaculate. She glanced at her clipboard. "Everyone's here except for Ikuto, but he said he would be late. How're you doing, Amu... Amu?"

The mirror was shattered, glass was strewn amongst Amu's belongings, and the tent's back flap was open and blowing in the wind. The girl herself was nowhere to be found.

"Amu!"

* * *

*Bella stops typing, sighs, and leans back. Muffled shouting can be heard from inside a closet*

Utau: Uhhh... Bella-chan, where's Ikuto, Amu, and Tadase?

Bella: *eyes closed* Tadase was getting on my nerves, and Amu and Ikuto might ruin the story if I let them stay, so they're locked up in the closet.

Kairi: Okay then...

Kukai: Well, what should we do?

Bella: Finish up, and then we can get on to Chapter 10!

Everyone: *sparkly anime eyes* Chapter 10...

Kukai: R & R like your life depends on it!


	10. Chapter 10

Sorry I updated later than usual... I started reading Gakuen Alice (highly recommended) and couldn't stop until I finished...anyway, presenting Chapter 10!

**Disclaimer: I wish.**

Amu sat outside the wedding procession, hidden from view by a cherry blossom tree on a bench, sobbing. She was lucky she hadn't applied any makeup (not her style anyway) because otherwise her face would have been a runny mess. Instead, she still looked unfairly beautiful, which mocked her. The dark sky and howling wind threatened a storm, but no rain came, making her lousy day seem somewhat incomplete.

She looked around through blurred eyes. "Ran?" she called thickly. "Miki? Dia? Su?"

The wind blew harder against her, chilling her tears and sharpening her vision. They were nowhere.

She bent over and wept harder. _They've left me again._

_

* * *

_

_Less than one hundred yards away..._

Yoru floated after Ikuto, who was hurriedly pulling on a jacket to protect against the fierce wind. "We are so late, nya! They've probably started the vows by now!" "Shut up, Yoru." Ikuto warned darkly, shielding his eyes.

"Yoru!" a feminine chorus of voices suddenly was heard, almost muted by the wind. Yoru and Ikuto turned. Ikuto gasped. "Amu's chara?"

"Ikuto-kun!" Su called sweetly over the howling. "Please come this way!" She pointed in a direction west of were they had been going. Ran grabbed Yoru by the crook of the elbow and dragged him west. Ikuto followed hesitantly, trying not to lose track of their small voices.

Finally, they stopped and pointed. Ikuto stopped short. "Oh-"

A girl was sitting on a bench, crying her eyes out. Her dress was wind-tattered and it's sparkly was fading in the dim light. Her slight arms were wrapped around herself and her hairpiece was crooked, so her long, ultra-straightened pink hair was haphazardly wind-tossed. She was hidden almost completely from sight by the tree. And although she was more broken than he could have imagined, she was the most stunning thing he had ever seen. He stepped forward hesitantly. "Amu?"

Amu looked up quickly and gave a watery gasp. "Ikuto? Oh-" She looked down at herself in her wrecked wedding dress and gave a short, hysterical laugh. "Ikuto's the first guy to see me in my dress." she giggled/whimpered. "Oops." She curled back up and started crying again.

Ikuto was totally confused. Amu was sitting alone on a bench, crying, in her wedding gown, even later than he was and muttering about a dress. He knelt slightly in front of her. "Amu, I thi- shouldn't you be inside?"

Amu sneezed, then laughed bitterly. "I guess we both should be." She rubbed her arms. "Tadase-kun's probably wondering where I am." But she made no move to head back in.

Ikuto sat down beside her, and she stiffened, almost imperceptibly. "So you don't want to marry Tadase." he said, just to clarify. Amu shook her head, but not in denial. "It's not that I don't love him. I do. It's just-"

She looked down at herself, her thin frame shaking. She looked at him searchingly. "Am I being selfish?" she whispered. "What I want is important to only me. What everyone else wants is so much bigger. What I want is hard to hold onto alone when everyone's trying to tear it away. It's complicated, you know? It's very large." **(A/N That's a Max Ride quote. Fang is one deep man.)** She sighed raggedly and tried to untangle the comb from her hair.

Ikuto shrugged nonchalantly. "It never really mattered to me what everyone else wanted. Easter wanted to take people's Eggs. That wasn't something that mattered to me. Utau and Mother might have wanted something different for me, but they understood. I guess your 'everybody,'" he made finger quotes to demonstrate 'everybody', ", doesn't understand." Amu nodded silently.

Ikuto turned to her, already starting to smirk. "But now I need to know. What _do_ you want?" Amu straightened defensively. He had a full smirk on his face now. "I asked you what you wanted,_ Amu."_

Amu's face burned. She floded her arms onto her knees and buried her face in it. She mumbled something incoherent into her lap. Ikuto was trying not to laugh now. "I'm sorry. I didn't catch that last part."

Su, who had been watching in rapt silence with the rest of the charas, floated up cautiously. "I think she said _you, _desu." Ikuto smirked. "Did she now?"

Amu looked up, her face and eyes blazing. "You hentai cospl-"

His lips met hers, and the fates all sighed as one, because one choice had just become impossible to make, and two hearts and gotten ever easier to shatter.

* * *

Utau: ...Amu, Tadase, and Ikuto still in the closet?

Bella: Yup. Tadase's still annoying me, and Amu and Ikuto migt ruin the story if I let them out.

Kukai: Man, this is really borin-

Random fangirls: KUKAI! *random fangirl herd mass-glomp Kukai*

Bella: *twitching* Who left the studio door unlocked?

Kukai: *Raises shaking hand from fangirl huddle*

Bella: ...DANGIT DANGIT DANGIT GET OUT OF MY STUDIO! GET OUT!

Ikuto's voice from inside closet: Who's out there?

Bella and Utau: NO ONE! *start battling fangirls*

Bella: Once we get rid of the fangirls, I will present the first of two endings! Ending One coming soon!

Ikuto's voice again: What's going on?

Bella and Utau: NOTHING!

Kukai: Please... R & R... get them off me...


	11. Ending One

Here goes the first alternate ending! After which Amu and Ikuto will be let out of the closet! (no promises about Tadase, though. That kid gets on my nerves.) The fangirls are gone, too. They were no match for me and Utau's combined awesomeness powers. Anyway, enjoy!

**Disclaimer: Please check chapters 2-10 if you are seriously mentally retarded to think I own anything by now.**

**

* * *

**Just like how Amu's feelings for Tadase were nothing like her feelings for Ikuto, their kisses were nothing alike.

Ikuto's kiss was cooler, but harder and less timid. It was fast and slow, aching and healing, and the pain of it swirled in her mind as the passion for it swelled in her heart. It touched the hole that had been worn into her by Easter and fear and insecurity and cozied in there to fill it instead of leaving it empty. And unlike with Tadase, with Ikuto, Amu knew she could never get enough.

She knew that this would never be enough.

But it was for now.

* * *

Utau and Tadase stood on the balcony above the cherry blossom tree, hidden from the sight of the two of them. Not that they would have looked up anyways, they were very, ah... distracted, as it was.

Utau turned to Tadase, her eyes showing no emotion, just calculations. "Did you know?"

Tadase didn't look away from Amu, drinking her in in all her glory. She was beautiful, in an almost unearthly way. But she wouldn't always remain that way. Her skin and eyes would soften with age. He hated himself for caring about those things, but he couldn't deny that he did. He sighed.

"I suppose I did. Amu-chan was strong to hold it all together inside her, but she couldn't hide it forever. And Ikuto-niisan... how he looked at her that day..."

Utau nodded in assent, her long hair blowing in the wind, her maid of honor dress still immaculate, despite the shoddy weather conditions. Tadase looked at the ground. "It was selfish of me to date her when I knew she still loved him. She did it for me and I used that for my own advantage. If I hadn't, this whole mess of wedding might not have happened. But, Utau onee-san..." He looked up at her beseechingly. "What do you think we should do?"

Utau smirked, and for a moment looked so much like Ikuto it was very creepy. "I thought you'd never ask."

She ripped a loose button off the neck of her dress and tossed it down, with perfect aim, to the bench beneath the cherry tree. It clonked Amu in the head, and she sprang back from Ikuto in surprise. She looked up to find the source, blossom petals falling from her hair.

"Hey, lovebirds!" Utau shouted in her carrying singer's voice. Amu's eyes locked on the two blonds, and she flushed a shameful cherry red. Her hands flew to her mouth. "Tadase...kun.." he saw her mouth tearfully. "I'm so sorry.."

Tadase started. _Sorry?_

Utau winked at him conspiratorially and he half-smiled. Then they yelled down together, "Get a room!"

Amu's eyes widened, but then they crinkled. She was smiling. Then Ikuto dragged her back for another kiss. Tadase smiled back at her.

_No more sorrow, Amu-chan._

_

* * *

_After Tadase's mother had screamed herself hoarse at Ikuto, Amu, Utau, Tadase, the preacher, and everyone else who hadn't managed to escape by that point, Tadase finally was able to get to his room. He still wasn't sure where Amu and Ikuto had gone, and he had a sinking feeling that his mother had chained them up in the dungeon conveniently installed beneath their house. But that would have to wait.

In his bedroom mirror, a little girl was reflected perched on his bedspread, waiting for him.

"How could you just give up like that, Daddy?" the girl croaked, and he saw her, even in the reflection, begin to fade.

_It's because that part of the future is disappearing, _he thought. He smiled sadly at her. "I love your mother." he told the reflection. "I want her to be happy. If nii-san makes her happy, then so be it."

"But don't you love and deserve her more?" she asked, then coughed weakly. He shook his head. "If only that were so, sweetheart. But Amu-chan deserves to be happy. So does Ikuto-niisan. They're both good people. And two deserves are bigger than just one." He slid a ring off his finger, and the girl winced in pain.

"One more question, Daddy." the girl coughed out. "How were you able to... you know."

He looked her in the eyes. "From something your great-grandmother once told me."

He blinked and she was gone. An impossible possibility now. He picked up a picture of a young pink-haired girl laughing and smiled at it.

_If you really love something, Tadase-san, you must learn to let it go._

_

* * *

_Bella: Hooray for love and happy endings for everyone except Tadase!

Amu: *darkly* I would kill you, except Ikuto's on top of me.

Ikuto: Mwahahahahahahahahaha *you know, King Tadase laughter*

Bella: Awrighty then! Second ending coming soon!

Amu: ...second ending? Ikuto, did you hear about a second ending? I WAS NOT INFORMED ABOUT A SECOND ENDING!

Ikuto: As a matter of fact, I was not.

Bella: I also have Harry Potter and Gakuen Alice fics up, if anyone's interested!

Amu: DON'T AVOID THE SECOND ENDING!

Tadase *in closet*: RABID RACCOON!

Bella: Mwe hee hee.


	12. Ending Two

Whew! I'm kind of getting tired of this project... it's almost done now though. But Ikuto will always be with me, when not trapped in my closet.

**Disclaimer: Please spare me.**

******

* * *

**

Just like how Amu's feelings for Tadase were nothing like her feelings for Ikuto, their kisses were nothing alike.

Ikuto's kiss was cooler, but harder and less timid. It was fast and slow, aching and healing, and the pain of it swirled in her mind as the passion for it swelled in her heart. It touched the hole that had been worn into her by Easter and fear and insecurity and cozied in there to fill it instead of leaving it empty. And unlike with Tadase, with Ikuto, Amu knew she could never get enough.

She knew that this would never be enough.

She knew it would never be viewed as worth it.

And the pain within her increased and without thinking, she placed a hand on his chest and pushed him away.

She pushed him away.

"This isn't right." she gasped, their faces still intimately close. Ikuto didn't say anything, just stared at her in silence. Amu's heart broke just looking at him, but she couldn't stop now. "Ikuto, I- in there, there's a lot of people waiting for me to- I just don't know if-"

Miki cautiously floated up to her. "Take a deep breath, Amu-chan. You're hyperventilating." Amu did as she was told, exhaled silently, and started again. "Ikuto, I do love you."

All of Amu's chara gasped, but she silenced them mid-squeal. "But no matter how much I love you, I don't want you to see me again."

Ikuto didn't reply, so Yoru spoke for him. "What the _hell_ are you saying?" Amu took another deep breath. "I'm saying that every time we show up in each other's lives, we hurt each other. I don't want to hurt you anymore, Ikuto. So I won't not marry Tadase, and I'm pleading that you'll leave me." Ikuto shook his head.

"Please." Amu whispered. "Ikuto, I _love_ you. But I can't stay with you for more than this moment. And I believe we'll get over each other."

_Lie lie lie lie lie lie lie lie lie lie lie lie lie..._

She stood up, bent, and kissed him on the cheek. "No more pain from me, Ikuto." she whispered. "I'm sorry for what I might have already done."

She turned her back on him and walked away. Ran and Dia raced after her and pulled at her hair. "No, Amu-chan! You can't-" "I know what I'm doing." Amu muttered through clenched teeth. Good old somewhat-reliable cool 'n' spicy Amu was resurfacing. Fantastic.

Su floated up to her. "_Please_, desu!" "No." Amu said coolly, straightening her clothes and hair. And to her major surprise or minor shock, all four charas disappeared. It was doubtful they'd ever show up again. "I'm sorry." she whispered thickly.

She was almost to the marriage tent when Utau caught up with her. "Where have you _been_, you baka? Where's Ikuto, have you seen him?" "He changed his mind." Amu said shortly. "He's not coming." She looked Utau in the eyes. Utau understood. "Oh."

Outside, Ikuto sat on the bench beneath the cherry tree, petals cascading through his hair. He was expressionlessly staring ahead. Ikuto had never been one for gushy emotion.

"Rough night?"

He sprang back. A blue-black haired girl sat beside him, staring ahead, chin resting on her palm. "Who the-"

The girl laughed bitterly. "Doesn't matter now. Man, I was so _close_..." She illustrated with her index finger and thumb how close she had bee. She sighed and to Ikuto's astonishment, she began to fade, right there on the bench.

"Mom _loved_ you, Dad." she whispered tearfully to him. "A lot. Too much. Don't ever, ever forget that. She wouldn't have done what she did if she didn't love you more than she thought she should. She didn't want you to know." She smiled at him, and without any sort of warning, she vanished, cherry petals keeping her shape for the smallest second before falling to the ground. Inside, a man recited, "Tadase Hotori, do you take this woman to be your lawfully wedded wife?"

Ikuto stood and ran a hand through his hair.

Amu nodded expressionlessly. "I do." she murmured.

Ikuto pulled on his jacket.

Tadase embraced Amu and kissed her passionately. She closed her eyes.

Ikuto walked off into the night.

A tear rolled, unnoticed, down Amu's cheek.

_Sometimes, if you really love someone, you have to let them go._

_

* * *

_*Amu is strangling and shaking Bella. It appears she will continue doing so until Bella suffocates or her neck snaps*

Bella: *wheezing* I'm just a girl... with a pencil. I was not... the one... who broke Ikuto's heart.

Amu: YOU'RE BLAMING _ME?_

Bella: Does it say 'Bella said, "Ikuto, stay away from me?"' No. It doesn't.

Amu: Since Ikuto left, thanks to _you_, I must admit the other ending was much better.

Bella: Then let's make it official!

Amu: Huh?

Bella: Stay tuned, my avid readers!

Tadase: *still within closet* WHAT IS THIS MATERIAL ON THE WALLS? WHY IS IT OOZING?


	13. Important Notice

It's Bella! And I'm sorry to say the First & True story is almost officially over. But I really want to find out... hmmmm. How to put this. Give me a moment:

PLEASE TELL ME WHICH FIRST AND TRUE ENDING YOU LIKED BEST! THE VOTES THAT _YOU_ CAST IN WILL BE TALLIED AND I WILL ANNOUNCE THE WINNER IN THE FINAL CHAPTER OF THIS STORY!

That is called a fever pitch. It's very tiring, but it gets the point across. I think. Oh, well. This is fanfiction. Just scroll up and read it again.

**RULES:**

**1.)** You can vote by either private messaging me with your favorite or reviewing with your vote.

**2.) **The deadline is July 30th, 2010.

**3.) **Do NOT send in flames if your favorite loses.

**4.) **You an only vote once. (If anyone says they can't decide, I automatically count it as a vote for my favorite, which, as the author, might not be your favorite.)

**5.)** Once July 30th occurs, I will count the votes and post the final chapter of The First and the True, in which the winner will be revealed. Good luck and click that pretty green button!


	14. Bonus Chapter!

Hey, it's me, Bella. This is, sadly, First and True's last chapter. Maybe I'll write a new SC fic soon... but for now, ENJOY FT'S BONUS CHAPTER!

**Disclaimer: In this scene, I own nothing except myself, Zakuro, and Yayma. (If you're curious on who they are, keep reading!)**

The teenage girl pushed her glasses up her nose one more time. Ikuto groaned. "For the love of catnip, STOP DOING THAT! You don't even need glasses!" "How do you know?" the girl snapped. "Maybe I do! And besides, they make me look cool and knowledgeable." "Sure." Ikuto muttered.

The girl spun around to face...uh...the computer screen, I suppose. She started waving like a maniac. "HI!" she exclaimed. "This is the First and True bonus chapter, where you find out which ending, One or Two, won through your votes! I'm you're host, Bella Grimm, and you can call me Bella-chan, while everyone here with me in this surprisingly spacious dialogue room must call me Bella-sama!"

Ikuto glared at her. "Why? We don't respect you. Besides, everyone knows who won anyways. Even your readers." "SHUT UP!" Bella shrieked. "I ENJOY DOING THIS! AND I AM STILL THE WRITER, SO I COMMAND YOU SHUT UP UNTIL I TELL YOU TO SPEAK!"

Ikuto unwillingly fell silent. Bella called to her assistant. "Astridaine-san! Please bring in the other characters!" **(A/N I didn't ask Astridaine's permission to do this, but I wanted to thank her for sending me the list of Japanese family honorifics, so THANK YOU, ASTRI!)**

"Right away, Bella-chan!" Astridaine called, and opened the door with a dramatic flourish. Then almost got crushed by the rapid horde of Shugo Chara characters. Utau immediately headed towards the podium, ready to glomp Ikuto. "No!" Bella shrieked. "STAY, ALL OF YOU!" They all froze. Bella exhaled in relief. "Okay. Would Amu-chan and Tadase please come up and join Ikuto. Tadase, you stand here, and Amu-chan, please stand in the middle. Thank you. NOT YOU, THOUGH!" she screamed at Tadase, who appeared to have gotten used to it by now.

"Now," Bella told the remaining characters (i.e. Utau, Kukai, Nagihiko, Kairi, Yaya, Rima, and Hikaru, who didn't really appear in this story, but he's so dang cute,) "would all Tadamu supporters please move to this side of the room." She gestured to stiff lines of wooden, hard-backed chairs with scars and knots. No one moved. Tadase started to sweat.

Bella giggled. "Now would all the Amuto supporters move to this side of the room?" She gestured to an area filled with white plush couches, golden wood armrests, and matching silk pillows. The entire crowd quickly moved to that side, with occasional murmurs on the quality of the furniture. Ikuto and Bella smirked. Tadase looked more than a little worried. Amu cast him a sympathetic glance. "Astridaine-san!" Bella called. "Would you please bring all the nice Amuto supporters their complimentary popcorn and Sprite." "Of course! Be right back!"

Twenty minutes later, Tadase had managed to go through three stages of loss, Amu had glanced nervously at Ikuto seven times, Ikuto had smirked at her eight times, and Bella and Astridaine had finished handing out the popcorn. "All righty then!" Bella said, satisfied. "One more thing. Amu-chan, your Humpty Lock, please?" Amu gasped. "What?" Bella smiled evilly. **(A/N Anyone watch Pandora Hearts? If you do, like Sharon smiles at Alice sometimes.) **"Now, please, Amu-chan." Amu hastily gave it to her.

Bella looked at curiously, then shrieked into the keyhole. "GET OUT HERE, YOU LAZY CONCEPTS! CHEER YOUR PARENTS ON!" Nothing happened. Everyone got up and started to slowly inch out of the room. Bella glared at it. "Just to remind you, your existences depend on this. I'm just saying."

Immediately, two teenage girls popped out of the keyhole, pushing and shoving. The blue-black haired girl landed on her feet next to Ikuto, smirking as the blond girl fell on her butt next to Tadase. Bella shivered. "Oh my God... Ikuto taught Zakuro-chan to smirk. Creepy." Ikuto pointed to the dark-haired girl. "You! You're that weird girl I met in the second ending! Who are you?"

Everyone sweatdropped at Ikuto's apparent lack of ability to put two and two together. Bella shrugged. "Anyway... Zakuro, please move over to the Amuto side. Yayma, to the Tadamu side you go!"

They did so. Zakuro immediately was lavished with sparkling apple cider and a lifetime supply of Junior Mints. Bella took pity on Yayma. "Hey, Astridaine. Do we have any extra popcorn for Yayma-san?" "Uh...nope." "Oh. Oh well. MOVING ON!"

She climbed back up to the podium. "Big thanks to everyone who read, reviewed, favorited, and alerted this story! Thank you all very much! Extra special thanks to those who voted and GakuenAliceGRL, who reviewed every chapter of this story!"

Everyone applauded politely. Bella bowed, with much hand-flourishing. "Now...what you've all sat through my very long introduction for! The number of votes the second ending received was..."

She paused for dramatic effect. Yayma crossed her fingers. Tdase held his breath. And Amu, foreseeing what was about to happen, crept, almost imperceptibly, closer to Ikuto. "...zero votes!" Bella finished, grinning evilly at Tadase. She looked guiltily at Yayma. "Sorry, hon. I might not like your dad, but you're super cute!" Yayma nodded dejectedly, and disappeared. "And now..." Bella continued, veerrryyyyy slooowwwwllllllyyyyyy.

"JUST TELL US HOW MANY VOTES THE AMUTO ENDING GOT SO WE CAN MOVE ON WITH OUR LIVES DAMMIT!" Zakuro screamed at her, throwing Junior Mints at Bella. Bella ducked, then straightened and smiled at Zakuro. "I like you. Anyways, the Amuto ending got eighteen votes. Hooray and all that crap. Ikuto, you can talk now."

"I'm good." Ikuto said, snaking his arms around Amu. She yelled and tried to beat him away, but he just smirked and kissed her neck. All the Amuto-shipping characters stood and cheered, then left. Zakuro knuckle-bumped Bella, then disappeared back into the Humpty Lock. Bella and Astridaine clinked glasses with satsifaction, and Bella waved to recapture your attention. "BYE! THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING! I REALLY, REALLY APPRECIATE IT! NOW PLEASE CONTINUE ON WITH YOUR LIVES!"


End file.
